Transportation
Marseille is a major French centre for trade and industry, with an excellent transportation infrastructure (roads, sea port and airport).
Getting in
By plane
Marseille Provence Airport (IATA: MRS)
- It is located 27 km northwest of Marseille, in Marignane.
- It is the 4th largest French airport for passenger traffic and 2nd largest for cargo traffic.
- Terminal one, the main terminal of the airport contains halls 1, 2, 3 and 4 and serves as a base for international arrivals and departures.
- The new terminal, referred to as Marseille Mp2 is used for flights arriving and departing from Europe.
- A shuttle coach system operates between the airport and the railway station, Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles.
By train
Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles is Marseille’s main railway station.
- It operates direct regional services to cities such as Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux, as well as a service to Barcelona.
- Approximate journey times: 3 hours to Paris, 2 hours to Nice, an hour and a half to Lyon and 5 hours to Brussels.
By bus
- Eurolines has many connections all over Europe. From Marseille there are at least direct connections to Barcelona, Prague and Tangier.
- The bus station is next to the main train station, the St. Charles Station at Rue Honnorat.
- Buses to Aix-en-Provence depart from the nearby Porte d’Aix, and other buses to Cassis, La Ciotat and Aubagne depart from Castellane.
By road
- An extensive network of motorways connects Marseille to the north and west (A7), Aix-en-Provence in the north (A51), Toulon (A50) and the French Riviera (A8) to the east.
- Marseille is around 8 hours from Paris by car, 2 hours from Nice, 1h30 from Montpellier, 4 hours from Toulouse and 3 hours from Lyon.
By boat
- There are direct ferry routes from Marseille to Ajaccio, Bastia, Porto Torres, Porto Vecchio and Propriano.
- There are several piers at the harbor (Gare Maritime) so it is advisable to check well in advance from which pier you are departing.
Getting around
By metro
- Marseille is connected by the metro train system operated by the Régie des transports de Marseille (RTM).
- It consists of 2 lines represented by orange and blue. Line 1 (blue) between Castellane and La Timone and Line 2 (orange) between Sainte-Marguerite / Dromel and Bougainville.
- Both lines of the Metro intersect at Gare Saint-Charles and Castellane.
- The subway closes at 9 p.m. except Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings (until 12.30 a.m.).
By bus and tram
- An extensive bus network (78 lines) serves the city and suburbs of Marseille.
- A bus network is also available at night.
- There are 2 tram lines: Noailles – Les Caillols and Euroméditerranée – La Blancarde.
- Bus 83, to be taken from the Old Port (Vieux Port) goes along the Corniche (and the seaside) for many kilometers.
By taxi
- Taxi du Soleil – 91.444.444
- Dediu Taxi – 91.897.608
- Provence TaxiTourisme – 25.105.058
- Andy Taxi – 91.254.156
If you think you’ve been cheated, get the taxi driver’s number (located in the rear of the car, often on the window) and go to the Tourist’s Office at 4, La Canebière (near Le Vieux Port) and speak to a representative.